When it comes to selling your business, most owners imagine a moment years down the road—calm, well-timed, and strategic. But here’s a reality few talk about: More than 50% of business sales are unplanned. Triggered by death, disability, divorce, or disagreements.

These aren’t exit strategies. They’re unexpected emergencies.

And if your business isn’t ready to sell before those moments hit, the consequences can be devastating—for you, your family, your employees, and your legacy.

What Happens If You’re NOT Ready

When tragedy or tension forces a sale and your business isn’t ready, here’s what usually happens:

🚨 Valuation plummets. Buyers see risk and uncertainty. Without documented processes, a leadership team, or a clear growth plan, they lower their offers—or walk away entirely.

🚨 You lose leverage. In a fire sale, you don’t get to negotiate. You take what’s offered.

🚨 Family and employees pay the price. The people who count on you are left to navigate chaos, often without direction or stability.

🚨 Your legacy suffers. The reputation and impact you spent decades building can unravel in months.

What Happens When You ARE Ready

Now, imagine the same unexpected event—but your business is ready.

✅ You have clear financials and documented operations.

✅ Your leadership team can step in and lead.

✅ Your culture is strong, and your revenue engines are firing.

✅ Buyers are lining up, because your company runs like a dream.

You’ve protected your value. You’ve preserved your options. And you’ve positioned your legacy to outlive you.

The Readiness Framework:

Measure → Accelerate → eX_____________

Whether your next move is to eXpand, eXit, or face the uneXpected, you need a business that’s built to thrive in every scenario.

1. Measure

Start by getting a clear picture of your business’s current value—and what it could be worth. We evaluate both your EBITDA and your multiple using industry benchmarks.

"What gets measured, gets managed." —Peter Drucker

2. Accelerate

Use your four Value Creation Engines™ to build horsepower and torque in your business:

• Revenue Growth fuels consistent top-line expansion.

• Process Optimization creates scalable, repeatable success.

• Culture Development builds a high-trust, high-performance team.

• Strategic Innovation ensures your company stays relevant and competitive.

These engines increase both the quantity and quality of your profits—exactly what buyers want.

3. eX__________: eXpand, eXit, or uneXpected

When your business is always ready to sell, you unlock all three of these options:

🧭 eXpand — Grow by acquiring, innovating, or scaling. 🛫 eXit — Sell on your terms when the timing is right. 🛡️ uneXpected — Be protected if life throws a curveball.

Final Word: Don't Let a Crisis Dictate Your Outcome

You may never plan to sell. But you also can’t plan when life happens.

By measuring, accelerating, and preparing your business now, you gain control. You create freedom. And you build a company that’s resilient, valuable, and full of options.

Start with a confidential valuation: measure.valuecreationengines.com

Dive into the full playbook: The Business Owner’s Guide to Maximize Business Valuation

Because the worst time to start preparing… is when you have to.

Originally published on Darrell Amy's LinkedIn.